The Ohio Connections for Children with Special Needs (OCCSN) system is Ohio’s birth defects surveillance system. Initiated in early 2004, OCCSN collects birth defects information on babies and children from birth to age five. Birth defects or congenital anomalies are one of the leading causes of infant death in the United States and account for approximately 19 percent of infant deaths in Ohio. Nationally, birth defects are a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout childhood. Approximately three percent of babies are born with a birth defect. In Ohio, this is approximately 4,500 babies each year.

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